Mason Mount has firmly established himself as one of Chelsea’s most important players over the past couple seasons, culminating in some well deserved Player of the Year honors this season, even before setting up Kai Havertz’s winning goal in the Champions League final.
That Mount has done all this by age 22, and as a product of the club’s youth Academy system, including 100+ senior Chelsea appearances already, makes it all the more impressive. That’s credit to his talent and his skills (and his coaches), but it’s also credit to his mentality, which is already at an elite level and has been for some time.
Unsurprisingly, the kid who was already targeting a Premier League trophy in the minutes following last weekend’s Champions League triumph, is also targeting personal improvement on and off the pitch.
“I always want to step up in the next season that I play in. I always want to get better, do more, have better stats, so that’s something at the end of the season that I always try to look at and see where I can improve on.
“Over the past few months, I’ve felt myself growing as a person, not just on the pitch but off the pitch as well. My role in the team has changed, being a big player and wanting to step up in big moments and really push the boys. I’ve had the captain’s armband twice now and that gives me extra confidence but I definitely think I’ve worked at things.
“I have that belief that I’m doing well but I can also get even better. That’s something as a player that you need to really improve.”
Mount certainly has plenty of good examples at the club to follow in terms of leadership, though of course the one midfielder with whom he remains inexorably linked with is Frank Lampard, the legend and former head coach who gave Mount his debut at Chelsea.
Their styles may not be exactly the same, but there could certainly be worse examples for Mount to emulate — especially in terms of leadership, longevity, and production.
“I’m always hungry to play in every game and to not miss a single match or training session. You pick up these little knocks now and again but I never think that a little knock is going to stop me from playing or keep me out for a week. I’ll always try to get through it or just strap it up and play if I can.
“[And] I can still keep getting better and better. I can definitely score more goals, especially with the chances I get and the way we’re playing now. I can get my goals up more and obviously the assists as well. I just want to be better for my team-mates and for myself, to improve and keep getting better.”
-Mason Mount; source: Chelsea FC
Spoken with the unbridled enthusiasm and invincibility of youth, may this be just the start of Mason Mount’s Chelsea legend.